tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305149491843446144.post6539882134034991443..comments2017-07-14T16:56:26.757-04:00Comments on Parker's Barkers: Hiking in the Huerfano River ValleyGail Bakernoreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305149491843446144.post-92057116968539120322013-09-29T07:43:41.459-04:002013-09-29T07:43:41.459-04:00By this time a daily stage had been inaugurated be...By this time a daily stage had been inaugurated between Walsenburg and Gardner. August Unfug owned it, and the stage carried the mail as well as six passengers. From Gardner, one either had to walk the 27 miles to the mining camp, or hire a horse from the livery. Several months after the stage line was established, another was started from Gardner on up the Huerfano River. It ran three times a week, and also carried the mail up to the Seguro post office.<br />In 1899 McMillan had found ore assaying in the thousands of dollars, though, being near the top of the Sierra Blanca, was very hard to reach. Though it is now officially set at 14,345 feet, Blanca Peak at the time was thought to be the highest mountain in Colorado. Still, McMillan built a large boardinghouse, the tramway, several cabins and other buildings. A sawmill was built a ways down the valley, in the pines. On July 20, the little camp was “surprised” by a snowstorm. Rumors were flying that summer that the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad would extend its lines either from Westcliffe or Walsenburg to reach the mines.<br />Just before the New Year of 1900, word reached Walsenburg of two miners arguing over a claim, then shooting and killing each other. The very location and remoteness of these mines would spell their doom, because the area had never been properly surveyed, so exact claims were hard to prove.<br />County Surveyor A.A. Foote laid out a town site on the old Peter Bucher home ranch in early 1900, and the miners chose the name of Source for it, because it was at the source of the Huerfano. This puts the site at or near what is known as Lily Lake, another of Huerfano’s ghosts that came down in history misspelled. The lake was actually on the property of Cephus Lilly, who owned the Lakeview Mine.<br />The Coronado mines were employing from 17 to 25 men, and the monthly payroll exceeded $1,500. When a post office was established in September, it was named McMillan, not Source. This post office was said to be the second highest in the state. A store was opened, and plans were made to add a saloon and livery stable.<br />By the end of 1901, McMillan and company had a payroll of about $3,000 per month. He began construction of a concentrating mill. By the time it was finished the next year, it had cost $100,000. The tramway had come down in a winter storm, and the new one he built was 4,000 feet long. The concentrating plant lightened the ore considerably, meaning it was easier to haul out of the valley. After a six-horse team had fallen off the road earlier, this must have been a relief to man and beast alike.<br />1902 brought two disasters. A grass fire of 1,000 acres destroyed three cabins, and an early (or late) snowstorm ruined the 4th of July festivities. That winter was harsh, with 20 feet of snow covering the site completely, even the stovepipes of the cabins and boardinghouse. Not even Mr. McMillan could reach his mines. When the snows receded, few miners returned.<br />1903 saw but a few stalwart miners at work, and in 1904 McMillan left the mines and headed down valley as was his habit, but this time he never returned. He was in litigation with other companies over locations and claims, and now his disgruntled, and unemployed, miners began suing for back wages.<br />The McMillan post office closed Sept. 15, 1904.Gail Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13754422711386464231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305149491843446144.post-90502406785091596082013-09-29T07:43:12.052-04:002013-09-29T07:43:12.052-04:00by Nancy Christofferson
HUERFANO — If there were o...by Nancy Christofferson<br />HUERFANO — If there were one settlement in Huerfano County more remote and less remembered than Seguro, it would be McMillan. The little burg was at the headwaters of the Huerfano River below the towering summits of Blanca and California peaks.<br />McMillan was home to hardy and, face it, greedy gold prospectors. The climate and location were less than ideal, since the community was at approximately 11,000 feet. Nevertheless, it had an exciting though short lived existence.<br />Most of the gold claims around the community had been filed in the 1890s, though a few were earlier and few later. The existence of gold on the Sierra Blanca had been proven time and again, from early Spanish explorers through the centuries. The south face of the Sierra Blanca had several gold communities, as did the west side in the San Luis Valley, so it only seemed natural that the north face should also be blessed with rich ore.<br />The prospectors of the 1890s gave the valley their respect, probably having learned the hard way of the rigors of winter at that altitude and distance from other settlements, so did their laboring during the summer months. During the snowy season, they retreated to the more temperate community of Seguro at about 9,000 feet, or farther to the east. As the crow flies, Seguro was six miles below McMillan, but as the horse plods, and the terrain permits, the trail was longer and basically followed the river.<br />In January 1893 a vein of silver so excited some of the miners that work continued in the snow, and it was believed a camp would be established near the mine before spring.<br />It wasn’t. The big problem with the location was the lack of a road. The area could be reached only by foot or horse. This proved to be an insurmountable problem in hauling provisions and building materials in, and ore out. A petition reached the county commissioners in 1895 to build a road, but it took several years before the grade was completed, and that was only because the mine owners themselves hired building crews. Development of the mines exploded when the road was opened, and huge pieces of equipment were hauled in for the stamp mill, tramway, mines and electric plant. Yes, they had electricity way up there.<br />As the nearest real town, Gardner experienced a bit of a boom itself. The shortage of wood at the high altitude of the mines meant ties, props and even firewood had to be hauled in. Edibles of every type, except potatoes, were brought in, including sides of beef.<br />In 1898 one Willet McMillan appeared on the scene and liked the prospects of what was then called the “Sierra Blanco.” He maintained a home in Crestones (Chama) while he purchased and developed a number of small mines that he operated under the name of the Coronado group.<br />Gail Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13754422711386464231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305149491843446144.post-19453277968623003032013-09-05T21:13:37.760-04:002013-09-05T21:13:37.760-04:00McMillan settlement headwater lily lake
http://ww...McMillan settlement headwater lily lake<br /><br />http://www.huerfanojournal.com/node/3600Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305149491843446144.post-43497499126026889342012-12-03T03:33:12.576-05:002012-12-03T03:33:12.576-05:00http://www.spld.org/oral-history-collection/oral-h...http://www.spld.org/oral-history-collection/oral-history-interviews/jeanette-thach-first-interview.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305149491843446144.post-46705613598854241232012-12-03T03:28:35.720-05:002012-12-03T03:28:35.720-05:00http://www.spld.org/oral-history-collection/oral-h...http://www.spld.org/oral-history-collection/oral-history-interviews/jeanette-thach-first-interview.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305149491843446144.post-69366434641487741372012-12-03T02:07:05.090-05:002012-12-03T02:07:05.090-05:00http://www.sangres.com/history/trails.htm#.ULxMkEK...http://www.sangres.com/history/trails.htm#.ULxMkEKoXHg<br />http://www.kmitch.com/Huerfano/sanluis.html<br /><br />to 1866 and into the 1870s.64<br />The meandering course of the Huerfano, said to be the finest stream in Colorado, with its wide &#39;bottoms&#39; dotted here and there with human habitations as far as one could see, enclosed by low but regular bluffs, was a sight which eclipsed the former...At the foot of the slope of the divide between St. Charles and the Huerfano, nearest the latter, is a strip of land 12 miles or more in length and averaging 2 miles in width, as perfectly adapted to agricultural purposes as any I have seen in the territory. I though that this would be a capital place to locate two or three Colonies; but was surprised that not one house, or other evidence of improvement, was to be seen anywhere outside the low bottom of the Huerfano. I inquired of J.B. Rice, at whose residence I stopped over night, why it was that this beautiful tract had not been claimed before this time? His reply was: &quot;It is a part of the infernal Las Animas Grant and cannot be settled by preemption or homestead. The majority of the settlers have heretofore been too scantily supplied with means to purchase of the grantees, besides they could not if they wished to, as the grant has been in such an unsettled state since its confirmation that the grantees are still unable to convey bona fide titles to their lands.67<br />The Garcia brothers and their wives, hired hands and children appear in the 1870 and 1880 censuses, as well as in the tax rolls, land ownership records and water rights records. The oldest brother, Pedro Antonio Garcia, with a large family and larger land holdings, may have been the locally recognized leader or patron of the community. In addition to paying attention to American property law matters and water rights, he may also have promoted communal activity, encouraging or planning the construction of the fortification that became known as Fort Talpa. In addition to the monumental task of making all of the adobe bricks for this very large building, this construction project required the cutting, shaping and transportation of dozens of medium-sized to huge trees from the high elevation forested areas. Perhaps the settlers were able to float them down Turkey Creek or the Huerfano River to the Talpa site. However it was accomplished, it required a large, skilled workforce. The fact that the original building is in relatively fair condition after nearly 150 years is a testament to the knowledge and organizational ability of one or more significant community leaders.<br /><br />I am a Garcia descendent :-) zara howerton<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com